1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a connector structure that can prevent an insufficient coupling of connectors.
2. Background Arts
FIG. 7 to FIG. 10 show a prior-art connector structure for avoiding an insufficient coupling of connectors. As shown in FIG. 10, a connector set 100 includes a first connector 110 and a second connector 120 that are coupled with each other. As shown in FIG. 8, the first connector 110 includes a first connector housing 111. A pair of first terminals 112, a shunt ring 13, and a short-circuit terminal 114 are housed in the first connector housing 111. As shown in FIG. 9, the second connector 120 includes a second connector housing 122 that houses a pair of second terminals 121 to be connected with the first terminals 112, respectively, a slider 123 provided on the second connector housing 122 slidably in a connector coupling direction and a connector decoupling direction, a coil spring (metal spring) 124 that urges the first connector 110 in the decoupling direction, a cover 125 attached to the second connector housing 122, and a ferrite core 126. As shown in FIG. 10, the coil spring 124 is interposed between the second connector housing 122 and the slider 123.
In the above-explained configuration, during a coupling process of the first connector 110 and the second connector 120, the second connector housing 122 is inserted into the first connector housing 111 to connect the second terminals 121 with the first terminals 112 electrically. During the above coupling process, the coil spring 124 is compressed while the slider 123 is slid on the second connector housing 122, and thereby the first connector 110 is urged by the slider 123 in the connector decoupling direction (leftward in FIG. 10) due to an elastically-restorative force of the coil spring 124. If the coupling process is stopped before the coupling process is completed, the first connector 110 is decoupled from the second connector due to the elastically-restorative force of the coil spring 124. Therefore, an insufficient coupling between the shunt ring 113 of the first connector 110 and the second connector housing 122 of the second connector 120 can be avoided.
FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 show another prior-art connector structure for avoiding an insufficient coupling of connectors. For example, this type of the connector structure is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-255061, and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-171843. As shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, a female connector 130 includes a housing 131 in which a pair of female terminals (not shown) are housed, and a male connector 152 includes a housing 151, a shunt 140 that is attached to the housing 151, and a pair of male terminals 142 to be connected with the pair of female terminals, electrically. The male connector 152 is provided also with a squib 150 for an airbag inflator, and the squib 150 will be ignited electrically. A pair of tabs 136 is extended from the housing 131 of the female connector 130, and a pair of wedges 138 is formed on each of the tabs 136.
The female connector 130 also includes a slider 134 that penetrates through the housing 131 and can slide along a boss 133. The slider 134 is provided with a pair of movable wedges 137, and each of the movable wedges 137 slides in a hole formed on each of the tabs 136 when a head 135 of the slider 134 is pushed to slide the slider 134. Engagement projections 141 inclined outward are provided on an outer circumference of the shunt 140. The engagement projections 141 can be elastically deformed inward. An engagement rib 154 is formed circumferentially on an inner circumferential surface of the shunt 140, and the engagement projections 141 and the engagement rib 154 are engaged with each other when the shunt 140 is attached to the housing 151. An engagement groove 153 is also formed circumferentially on the inner circumference surface of the shunt 140. The engagement projections 141 are located within the engagement groove 153 when the shunt 140 is attached to the housing 151.
According to the above-explained configuration, when the female connector 130 is temporally attached to the male connector 152 (the head 135 is lifted up), the wedges 138 are engaged with the engagement groove 153 to hold the female connector 130 temporarily. Then, the head 135 is pushed to slide the slider 134. Here, if the housing 131 and the shunt 140 are engaged with each other completely (sufficiently), the slider 134 can be pushed into the housing 131, and thereby side faces of the slider 134 pushes the tabs 136 onto the inner circumferential surface of the shunt 140. Therefore, the wedges 138 are securely engaged with the engagement groove 153. In addition, the movable wedges 137 are also engaged with the engagement groove 153 to lock the slider 134. Further, in this state, erroneous removal of the shunt 140 from the housing 151 (i.e. erroneous uncoupling of the female connector 130 from the male connector 152) is avoided by engagements of the engagement projections 141 and the engagement rib 154.
On the other hand, if the housing 131 and the shunt 140 are engaged with each other incompletely (insufficiently), the wedges 138 are not engaged with the engagement groove 153, and thereby the tabs 136 are bent inward. Therefore, the slider 134 cannot be pushed into the housing 131, because its insertion is inhibited by the tabs 136 bent inward. As a result, the female connector 130 cannot be coupled with the male connector 152, and an insufficient coupling of the connectors 130 and 152 is avoided.